63people charged in one staged-crash investigation
A single New Orleans staged-crash ring, Operation Sideswipe, ran from 2011 to 2024 before 63 people were charged, including two of the city's own personal injury attorneys.
A federal jury convicted attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles on every count in March 2026; more than 40 other defendants had already pleaded guilty before their trial started.
Source: FreightWaves · Fox 8 Live (WVUE New Orleans). Read more: staged accident insurance fraud · case file